“He’s mine,” Seth stated. With a cool gleam in his eyes, Seth stared into the setting sun. “I won’t rest until he’s found. Do you understand?”
Ty cut a glance at his sibling and nodded. “I understand perfectly. What do you want me to do?”
“I’ll let you know when the time comes. Right now, we have to get Celia back to Shooter Creek and safety. Then I have a plan…”
The crickets voiced their own hapless opinion as the brothers spoke in smothered whispers and hushed tones. Another two days on the trail would see them near Shooter Creek and safety.
Two days later, as they made their way back to safety, a call went up. The scout wheeled in near Seth and Celia to explain what he’d seen up ahead.
“It’s the north boundary line shack,” Seth offered over his shoulder. “If we ride a bit harder, we should make it before nightfall.”
The report of the first rifle tore through Seth with the precision of an arrow. The shot vibrated right down to the soles of his boots. The second gunshot had Celia clutching him and burrowing into his back. They laid leather to hide in an all-out run for the shack on the horizon. That was when all hell broke loose.
Out of the corner of his eye, Seth could see Ty’s horse bolt, as if he’d stepped in an unseen hole. Soldier careened wildly and spooked the horses on either side. Despite all efforts to remain in control, Seth’s bay stumbled into the side of Charles’s buckskin. The contact with the other horse sent Seth and Celia tumbling from Sarge and landing in a rolling heap of dust and undergrowth.
Gaining his footing, Seth scrambled to crouch behind the downed horse. Frantically searching ahead for the danger and then behind for Celia, he found her scrambling to gain the same cover he’d sought. Then with his focus ahead, he didn’t see anything.
“Get down!” Seth shouted the order as another shot cracked the air like a whip.
“That one’s a hell of a lot closer,” Ty called from a nearby rock formation.
Suddenly a figure appeared riding at break neck speed toward them. Only the dark shape of the man loomed in the late evening dusk. He welded a club in his right hand and a gun in the other. His war cry was like that of a cougar and carried through the mist just beginning to seep in like a shroud. It raised the hackles and stirred the gut.
“Ty, get her to the shack!” Seth was already peering down his sights at the apparition galloping towards them. “I’ve got you covered! Go!” His shot found it’s mark and the rider fell within feet of where they huddled.
“No, I’m not leaving you!” She shot back.
Seth cut his eyes at her. The brilliant green of those perfectly defiant eyes stared back at him challenging him with her ferried stubbornness. “Woman, do as I say! Go!” His gaze flicked from her to the settling darkness as yet another shot rang out. The bullet sung by and wood splintered just above their heads from a tree nearby.
“Not leaving again. Now give me a gun!” she demanded.
With her teeth set and her chin jutted, Seth could tell he was wasting precious time with the effort. Instead, he pulled a smaller revolver than the one he welded from his boot. “Take this,” he snapped as he spun the chamber and checked each chamber.
Seth shot Ty a frustrated look and gave her a direct order. “Then get down, for God’s sake. There’s a maniac out there!”
Shots rang then from several angles. Bullets sizzled and snapped as the ambushers forged a formidable attack. A lone figure on horseback carrying a flaming torch charged toward them. The sun’s last vibrant rays effectively blinded them, as the rider raced toward them, shooting at will.
Pulling his Winchester from the scarab, Seth took careful aim and shot. The rider jerked before slumping in the saddle. As the roan charged by, Seth pulled the man from his horse but the torch still activated the ground cover of their hiding place. Fury stormed through him as Seth realized they were in jeopardy.
Jake and Charles picked off two more attackers as fire leapt anew in the pine straw and undergrowth around them. The smoke made seeing impossible. Seth feared they would soon be fish in a barrel if he didn’t do something.
“Get her out of here!” Snapping the order out, Seth crouched low behind a scrub bush and reloaded. He could hear her screaming his name over and over again.
Then it was the steady pounding of hooves. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed more riders on the horizon. “We’ve got to move now! Get to the line shack,” Seth ordered to Jake, Charles and the others.
Heedless of anything but getting to safety, the men of Shooter Creek charged the door to the shack. Brannon’s men had already set fire to one side of the flimsy shelter and a thick smoke choked the air.
Diving low, Seth barked orders as he scrambled to a window to peer out at nothing. Shots rang out and he spotted the flash from a gun. Without a body to aim at, it was growing increasingly hard to pick off anyone in the accumulating darkness and Seth realized it was just a matter of time.
Celia crawled to him. “You’re hurt!” she cried and reached blindly for a petticoat that wasn’t there.
“No time.” Seth ducked another shot landed in the wood framing the small opening. “Stay behind me!” It was futile and Seth realized he’d be better prepared to defend her with her close by. So he forced the fear aside and struggled to maintain a focus on the men advancing on them from outside.
Suddenly, another torch flew through the air and landed in a smoldering heap in the middle of the shack. Celia scrambled to retrieve it and with one graceful move, that Seth swore he’d never forget she managed to launch it back out the front of the cabin and into the dry grass. Soon a flame was spreading toward the scrub bushes and undergrowth lining the shack’s perimeter.
“Would ya look at that,” Shorty yelled as the area around their shelter lit up with enough light that the attackers had suddenly become the attacked.
“Shot anything that moves, boys,” Seth shouted and crouched in the corner to reload. Celia was by his side in short order and panting with the effort of setting the front-yard a blaze.
“That was quick thinking, darlin’.” He grinned and rose up to look out at the area illuminated by the blaze.
“Thank you, Mr. Loflin.” She gave him a cocky wink and set about reloading herself.
The colts barked time and again as they picked off their attackers. But for every one that fell, it seemed two more appeared.
Covering the dirt floor of the line shack, wood splinters and bits of debris still burned. Dirt and smoke choked the air inside the cabin.
Seth hastily wet his kerchief again to try to save his lungs. He glanced again at Celia who passed each man’s position with more water she’d found in a crock. Looking up, he realized he could hear nothing any longer as report after report bounced off the walls with deafening precision.
“Aw shit!” Ty cursed loud enough in one short lull.
Seth wiped smoke out of his burning eyes once more. “What?”
“Comanche!” Ty shot back.
Suddenly, through the smoke several braves appeared from behind trees and the undergrowth near the shack. The Comanche crouched low with arrows drawn and managed to down three attackers. Several more Comanche appeared near the outer walls of the shack.
“Wouldya’ look at that.” Shorty shouted over the noise.
Peering intently at the darkness beyond the fires that still burned, the men inside the shack waited. Anxious fingers rested against steel. In the eerie stillness that followed, Seth held his breath. One lone cry had his hackles rising. Crashing followed by horses hooves growing weaker in the distance were the only sounds after that. As quickly as it had erupted, the world around them fell silent.
“Peers’ we had help,” Jake announced at length, before he rested the Winchester next to the windowsill and mopped his brow. Without elaborating, he slumped against the wall, yanked his bandana from his face and pulled out his smokes.
“Do you believe that?” Shorty asked. Wiping the sweat off his balding head
, he searched the faces of his companions. “Them Comanche came out of nowhere and helped us!”
“Yeah, guess we had us a guardian angel,” Seth commented as he turned his attention to Celia.
She sat in the middle of the dirt floor shedding silent tears and holding what appeared to be a red sash.
Chapter 14
To Win the Day
The Great Spirit had given her the gift of justice. Celia stood clutching a shawl tight around her shoulders. The slightly nauseas feeling had pasted and one of exhilarated vindication took its place as Brannon was hauled off to jail in chains. Turned out he wasn’t a Texas Ranger after all. Being able to watch the bloody face of Brannon as he slumped between the Corporal Chance and Ty gave her a moment of pained satisfaction. Seeing that the man responsible for her father’s death would stand trial was enough for now.
“I thought I told you to go inside and get some coffee.” Seth shook his head in the negative as he dusted at the dirt and debris that clung to his clothing. His eyebrows furrowed in concern for his wife.
Celia took note of the one torn sleeve along with the collar marred with blood and knife nicks. “Maggie brought me some and Rose has been keeping me company.” She patted the woman’s hand standing beside her on the front steps to the house.
Seth nodded absently as he glanced around taking in the presence of torches to light the front yard and paths leading away from the main house. “No one will be able to come within a hundred yards of the house tonight,” he said.
Celia reached out slipping her arm through his. “I’m grateful we made it back in one piece.”
“Um, quite a bit of difficulty getting here, but we made it,” he said absently. “The sheriff’s in a lot of trouble over this thing with Brannon. Seems he was involved with the massacre, or at least covering it up. Corporal Chance says the sheriff will have to stand trial. Apparently, doing nothing is as bad as actually performing the act.” He cocked a brow and turned his attention to his wife.
“You seem determined to disobey me, woman.” His words held a note of amused irritation. He reached out and ran a hand down her hair before resting that same hand on her bare shoulder. The grin that creased his mouth spoke of his jest. “It’s a good thing for you, I grown so attached to you.” He smiled tenderly at her upturned face. “I’ll say this for you. You’re one hell of a woman, Mrs. Loflin.”
Celia gave him what she considered her stoic face and repeated his crash compliment. “And you’re not too bad yourself, Mr. Loflin. Will you come in now and let me tend that wound? You’re bleeding all-over the place.”
Rose grinned wickedly. “You take care of him, Celia.” Patting Seth’s hand, she winked. “I’ll see both of you soon I hope.”
“Thank you, Rose.” Celia gave her friend a hug. “For everything.”
Hesitantly, Rose nodded and glanced a bit sheepishly at Seth. “Smitty is ready to go. I’d best be getting on.” She reached out and hugged Celia again. “I’m so glad you’re all right, both of you.” Whispering in Celia’s ear, Rose said, “I’m through with costumes business, dear. Do you hear me?” Giving her friend a good squeeze, she stepped back.
“We’ll stop by soon.” Celia winked for Rose and watched as her friend took Smitty’s hand to get into the buggy. She waited a beat before turning her attention back to her husband. “That was rude. You can be such a bore when you want to be.” Scowling for his benefit, she turned to go inside.
He caught her by the arm. “Wait just a darn minute, Mrs. Loflin. I’m not through with you yet.”
His grin was infectious, Celia mused. How could she be vexed with a man that held her heart in the palm of his hand?
Turning her to face him directly, he studied her face with a mixture of mischief along with something else she couldn’t put a finger on.
She shivered and tugged at the shawl once more. “May we discuss this further inside? Your wound,” she reminded him.
Seth’s grin widened.
Tenderly, she reached up, bracing herself on her toes and kissed him soundly. “Take me home, Boss.”
His mouth creased in another rakish grin before he took her arm and guided her through the great Spanish door and down the hall. Stopping in front of his room, Seth reached out and turned the knob. The smell of roses wafted out the door and into the hallway.
Celia could only stare.
Then, with a gallant move, Seth scooped his wife up and across the threshold.
She swatted at his hands. “Put me down. You’ll injure yourself more.”
“It’s just a flesh wound. Relax and look.” He nodded toward the interior.
Her eyes traveled around the room and back again to light on his face. He watched her intently. The room, cleaned to a sparkling countenance held a new armoire next to Seth’s with all her things neatly inside. The settee and dressing table had been setup as well as the dressing screen she’d used in his mother’s room across the hall.
Seth lowered her gently to the floor and stepped back. “Well…”
With her mouth agape in a silent utterance of astonishment, she gazed at the wealth of flowers that flanked the walls and stood on every surface that would hold them. More flowers were placed about the room than she’d ever seen, except at a wedding in Savannah. Speechless, she turned back to Seth.
“I wanted you to have flowers for our wedding.” His gave his shoulders a slight shrug. “But since it had to be such a hasty affair, I thought you might get to enjoy them more right here.” He glanced about the room.
Roses and early spring daffodils sprang from every vase and vessel standing on the tables, vanity, and lining the walls. The sweet, unmistakable smell of roses filled the room.
“They’re all for me?” Celia asked in wonderment. “There are so many. How did you know I love roses?” She asked him pointedly as she fingered the velvet petals of the nearest ones swamping a small table.
Seth gave her one of his patented off-hand shrugs and stuffed his hands in his pockets before rocking back on booted heels. “I remember things.” He flicked a glance her way before glancing about the room again.
Celia turned and studied him. They both knew to what he referred. He’d once brought the young maiden she’d been a single rose all those years ago. Feeling so very touched by the gesture, she crossed back to him and stood silently staring into the face of love. The smile she gave him was as honest an answer as she could manage. She was standing in front of him, when his hands came around her waist. He followed and his heat enveloped her. There was blood drying from a cut on his lip and dirt smudged along a bruise on his cheekbone. She knew she’d never seen anyone as handsome as Seth at that moment.
“I thought you were responsible for leaving. I had no idea the real truth.”
Celia reached up and laid a finger over his lips silencing his words. “You didn’t know. I understand now, that you had no part in what happened.”
“I can only hope you’ll forgive me for being so thick-headed.”
“Seth, there’s nothing to forgive. You didn’t know the whole truth.” She rested her hand on his jaw. “He’s gone, gone forever now and all we can do is move forward.”
“Celia, all I ask is that you give me a chance…”
Her heart was in her throat. Hadn’t he already shown her how much she meant to him? Celia couldn’t help the mischievous smile that flitted across her lips. “A chance?”
“Yes, a chance to prove to you…how much you mean to me. Will you stay and give me that chance?”
“You want me to stay? You want me to stay and give you a chance?” Slowly she moved away from his hold. She’d never be able to keep her face blank if she remained in his arms and she didn’t want him to see the sheer joy dancing across her face at that moment.
“I will make a believer out of you, Little One, I promise. Say you’ll stay.”
“You actually want me to stay after all that’s happened? What kind of life would that be for either of us?”
He ste
pped toward her and his next words showed desperation. “Yes, I do. It would be our life together. Just say you’ll try.”
Turning, she looked into brilliant blue eyes full of need and Celia understood his desperation. “All right, I’ll try.” With that said she slipped from his grasp and made her way across the room to the decanter of whiskey Seth habitually had on hand. “The agreement states that I…”
He was behind her and wrapping his arm around her in a stronghold. “Damn the agreement. I had to do something to keep you from bolting after Brannon confronted you in the mercantile. It was the only thing I could think of.”
“You knew about that?” Her utter astonishment made him laugh. “I see everything, he whispered near her ear. Turning her so she faced him, Seth searched her eyes. “Celia, I can’t lose you again, don’t you understand that?”
She gazed into his eyes and nodded. “You make it sound as if I mean something to you.” She flicked him a glance and then studied the buttons on his shirtfront.
Seth sighed deep in his chest and took her chin in his fingers. “Don’t you understand? Celia, you undo me. You saved me and I had forgotten how lost I was. I love you, darlin’.”
Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes and her mouth trembled once. The moment for the truth had finally arrived. “I love you, Seth.” She closed her eyes a moment and opened them again, gazing intently at her husband. “I never stopped, even though I thought you were the one who returned my letters.”
“I should have known my father was behind your leaving. I simply couldn’t believe my own flesh and blood would do something like that to his son. I’m sorry for not searching harder. But with no word from you, I simply stopped wishing for something I thought could never be. A part of me died, I guess.”
Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy: Book 1) Page 32
